Semiconductor wafers are batch processed in the thermal reaction chambers of one or more processing furnace tubes to form various thin-films and other structures thereon during the several phases of the integrated circuit fabrication process. The wafers are typically loaded into so-called boats provided therefor, and a boat loading mechanism is provided for inserting and removing plural wafer loaded boats operatively coupled to the boat loading mechanism into and out of the thermal reaction chambers. The boat loading mechanisms are called upon to be as reliable as is practicably possible, so that system throughput, and consequent revenue generation, are not thereby compromised. As the dimensions of the microstructures formed on the wafers become smaller, the risk of batch contamination proportionately increases making even comparatively small quantities of particulates generated during the loading and unloading procedures approach unacceptable limits. In view of the extremely small dimensions of the microstructures now capable of being fabricated by todays technology, such boat loading mechanisms then are further called upon to operate in such a way that particulate generation is either eliminated or constrained to a level sufficiently low to prevent the possibility of contaiminating the wafers being processed in the one or more processing furnace tubes.